|
|
Steven.Fox New user 2 Posts |
Hi, says the obligatory hi message.
I'm very very very new to magic. Four months ago (July 2017) we finally opened the Marvin magic set I'd bought my 6 year old daughter the previous Christmas. Never having encountered what I now know to be a Svengali deck I was giddy with glee at the relative ease with which tricks could be performed. Wow. Thinks...'Hmmm, if something in a 'kid's magic kit' is producing affects like this, how good must real grown up adult magic tricks be?' Being a ridiculous 52 years old I even pre-date Paul Daniels BBC Saturday night TV dominance and have no previous experience. Having utterly submerged myself in magic for 4 months - often using this website for information on tricks I didn't ought to buy because I've enough stuff to last years already but hey, that looks interesting, I could do that, maybe? - I've finally signed up. So far I've been basic coin work and cups and balls. I've obviously tried other tricks, but that's what I like. Real solid objects, I tell myself, possess greater authenticity. I find cards intimidating. Though I've already, thankful, with coins and cups and balls that something that seemed impossible initially is achievable with a chunk of application and a lot of bending down picking things up from the floor. But so many people, almost everyone, seems super competent card wise. I have a question re: cups and balls but appreciate this meet 'n' greet area isn't the place, although I don't yet know where is, I'll go search. (Yes, I know 52. Time to retire already. I've heard all those podcasts 'I started magic real late, I was almost 20' or 'I started when I was 6...'. But I'm convinced (to and extent) practising magic can 'reset the clock' and learning new skills (not that I've many old ones) and especially hand and hand eye coordination must be positive, even if it doesn't set the performing world alight. Thanks for reading.) |
wulfiesmith Inner circle Beverley, UK 1339 Posts |
Steven ...
goodness, 52 and time to retire? ... don't question yourself. I am asking why am I still interested and buying magic, aged 66? I would guess you are from the UK ... what part Steven? sorry, almost forgot - welcome ... |
Mary Mowder Inner circle Sacramento / Elk Grove, CA 3659 Posts |
Welcome Steven.Fox,
In ten years, you'll be 62 or 62 and amazing. So... of course Magic. I still pick up a lot of Cards and Juggling Balls and Rings etc... I consider it an exercise program. It is great for your brain to work at something really challenging so you are way ahead on this deal. How is the 6 year old doing in Magic? I really wish I'd started that young. I started as an Adult but time passes quickly. In just a short time you won't be a complete newbie. Have fun and remember what Magic looked like when you new nothing about it. -Mary Mowder |
Steven.Fox New user 2 Posts |
Thanks for the welcomes.
Wulfie Smith - formerly of the tooting Popular Front I presume? - yes, UK, Nottingham(shire). And yes, it's not yet 6am here. Mary Mowder - I am putting the hours in, though I'm not sure in the most productive manner (I know bad practise (learning mistakes) is worse than no practise at all. And that the 10000 hours it's reported to take to 'master' something roughly equates to 4 hrs a day for 6 years... which I currently regard as possible, maybe even doable. My daughter hasn't continued yet. She did a few tricks straight off but is very much driven by curiosity "|How did you do that?" (Naturally I snigger cruelly and refuse to tell) and I haven't managed to convey the need to repeat the same trick over and over as a) she thinks she can do it already and b) she doesn't currently see any scope for performing beyond showing her parents. One remarkable thing is the glimpses into her child's perception. I'll be practising cups and balls, incorporating a Williamson strike vanish (or similar) and she'll request I make something re-appear somewhere. As if the vanish was real magic and I truly command the objects to such an extent I can make the balls appear and disappear at will. Obviously this is the desired effect, but glimpsing her innocence - especially as she's normally dominated by analytical enquiry - is wonderful. [I'm 'doing some magic' for her 7th birthday party next week and it's very intimidating, but an oh so necessary first hurdle.The crowd control (for all of 8 kids) worries me most] |
Mary Mowder Inner circle Sacramento / Elk Grove, CA 3659 Posts |
8 year olds are a piece of cake.
They are old enough to enjoy and understand the concept of Magic but not yet jaded. Best of FUN. -Mary Mowder |
HenryleTregetour Regular user 184 Posts |
Hi Steven,
I am 54 and it is great to see someone else "my age" getting involved for the first time. I have been dabbling about 5 years, only doing intense work the past year (and off since mid-June). Here is some advice--the set of instructions out there is the Harlan Tarbell course. It dates from the 1930s and the first six lessons (more than 1,000 pages) can be downloaded for free. I have read many books with tricks and all, but the Tarbell course offers not just tricks but also a philosophy of magic, and I think you will find that most veteran magicians endorse it, especially all the old pros. As for me, I am concentrating on develop very basic skills, the ones I wish I had mastered about 40 years ago (but it was my younger brother who got the magic set!) At this stage that means palming coins and learning the cup and balls (which has many basic slights). Of course there are a lot of simple tricks that I experiment with such as cut and restoring rope, etc. Yeah, it is hard balancing a desire to do magic right now and mastering the basics. I think most people are that way, but I of course feel it given that I am more than half a century old. Best of luck, Henry |
HenryleTregetour Regular user 184 Posts |
For set, read "best set".
|
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » Our new arrivals » » Hello - growing young with magic (2 Likes) |
[ Top of Page ] |
All content & postings Copyright © 2001-2024 Steve Brooks. All Rights Reserved. This page was created in 0.02 seconds requiring 5 database queries. |
The views and comments expressed on The Magic Café are not necessarily those of The Magic Café, Steve Brooks, or Steve Brooks Magic. > Privacy Statement < |